Birth of Revolt
True Help Her first foot stepped onto the island as did her eyes. Her crimson gaze fell upon the fiery scenery before her. The dock, that she was supposed to enter on, was destroyed. The wooden planks that made it up crushed and had begun to sink into the sea. A single ship bearing a Pirate flag sat at the destroyed dock and she was cautious to take very good note of it. Before she could collect her thoughts, she went on to take another step and as she did, she could hear the ground crying out for help as another explosion occurred in the distance. BOOM The very meaning and personification of destruction was what that boom embodied. Buildings collapsed and the fire grew larger followed by shrieks and wails from the people. It didn't take rocket science for the girl to put the two together, but she ultimately concluded that the island was under attack by a pirate crew. Her verification matched up with the report made over the transponder snail that mentioned Pirates attacking the island and of course she had to act. Without another thought, the young lady ran across the pathway of the island, her speed catching anyone who had been watching in awe. She ran so fast, that not even the wind could leave a whisper in her wake. Her face remained emotionless. This was the feat of either a cold-blooded killer or someone able to keep themselves composed no matter the situation they faced. In this specific case, it was the latter. It took her about five minutes of full-on running before she'd finally reached the center of this chaos. Once she did though, there were dozens of townsfolk tied by rope back-to-back with one another, blood dripping from varying parts of their bodies and tears flowing down gracefully. At the center of it all, stood a stall voluptuous woman dowed in a black captain jacket and the typical pirate hat. She was a beautiful creature, but from the blood and blade, she gripped in her hand. Tongue out, she looked down at the newly appeared girl. "Oi, Oi!" She exclaimed, a smile slowly forming on her face. "Well, aren't you cute. I ain't think someone could work that caramel hair so well." The caramel-colored hair girl looked up at the black-haired woman. She gritted her teeth before her eyes quickly shifted to the townfolk whose own eyes were filled with tears. Their mouths were wrapped shut with clothes but their grunts could be heard as wails. If she couldn't discern exactly what it was they were saying she knew for a fact that they wanted help. "What have you done?!" The girl asked, standing straight up with her attention focused solely on the pirate before her. Her skinny arms fit into her black coat like taffy. Much like the pirate, she too possessed a curvaceous and a relatively small waist. She wore a low riding red shirt on top of a white-collared scroungy shirt. Topped off by a red bow around her neck and a black of black slacks and black loafers. Her jacket came to her lower back, revealing a weapon on her hip and the fact that her slacked pants fitted her rather tightly revealing her rear curve. While she wanted to act out of rage, she remained composed and instead waited for either the perfect opportunity or simply for her opponent to act first. "Free these people and leave." "Jajajajajaja," the woman laughed, clenching the hilt of her saber. "I'm the captain of the Vicky Pirates! User of the Beta JOKER! I'm declaring this island, property of the Vicky Pirates, so you'd best get the hell out of my way if you don't want to be killed, little girl!" The woman laughed maniacally once again. Some members of her crew stood behind her, while others ram shacked the village in efforts of making their statement. "Pretty girls like you should stay home." Said the woman, licking the blade of her saber. Finally, after minutes of struggling, one of the townsfolk managed to remove the cloth from around their mouth. An older man, in his mid-thirties, face scarf from the beating of the Vicky Pirates. "Get out of here girl!" The man suggested, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. "We've already notified the Marines, they'll be here shortly. You should find somewhere to hide so you don't get injured. That woman is Icky a pirate captain worth 60,000,000. Run!" he suggested once more. "You heard him, girl," Vicky chimed, grinning. "Just run and wait for the Marines to come... if they ever do." For a moment, the young girl simply stood stiff. She didn't shake nor did she waver, she just stood. There were no words coming from her mouth and in fact she gave off the impression of hesitation. But that wasn't it. It was the will of these people being absolutely broken by the rampage of these pirates. All while she stood there, Vicky reached over to grab one of the civilians. "Hey, hey, hey. While you sit there star-struck, I'll see if there's a way I can break this girl's neck!" Vicky claimed, gripping the woman by her freakishly long neck. "She's a member of the Snakeneck Tribe," thought the girl, looking to Vicky. In that same moment that she lifted her head, she rushed off towards Vicky, hands holding her weapon a Crescent Blade attached to a Noble Sword, it was called a Crescent Pendulum. As she closed the gap between herself and Vicky quite quickly, the girl lifted the sword end of her weapon and aimed it at Vicky's throat. With a glare, she looked Vicky into her eyes despite being much smaller. "You make another move to hurt her and I'll stab straight through your neck." "Jajajaja, you've got some quick moves, I like you, what's your name?" Vicky asked, releasing the snakeneck woman from her grasp and giving her full attention to the more prominent threat. "Whose crew are you a member of?" The woman scurried off into the distance, tucking herself behind the pile of rubble to watch the rest of these unfold in hiding. "I'm not apart of any crew. My name is, Clover D. Rachel!" "That D..." --- The marines were on their way. Two ships. One manned by ** and the other his own. They'd be here shortly. But Azrael wasn't one to wait. He was known among the marines as the initial wave. He treated his men like the cavalry; only there to help clean up the rest of the mess after Azrael took care of the initial threat. Having wings allowed him to cross vast distances in a matter of time while the rest approached. You guys take the eastern approach. Azrael had ordered. Flanks were the best plans. He caused the most damage and attracted the attention while his crew took care of them from the back. In no time, most enemies would find themselves without backup. Unable to kill Azrael, they'd become stuck between a rock and a hard place. "You thought I'd let you go alone, Captain!" The cold embrace of his lieutenant's arm wrapped around his neck sent shivers down his spine. His wings flapped against the wind with great power. Carrying the two of them over the waves at tremendous speed. "I really wish you'd led them-" Azrael groaned. "The last time I let you do that, you almost lost your leg. So now I'm going. And besides, Clives can handle the small-fry." Adam's grip tightened. Her undead body possessing a strength that almost snapped Azrael's neck. "Fine...Just...loosen..up." He managed to beg. She complied. Though he could tell that she only did so due to the shock of a town on fire. The screams of suffering. Each gust of wind carrying the burning scent of flesh. Houses collapsed. Blood spilled into the crimson flames. Their lives vanishing one by one without so much a prayer. This was why Azrael would never support piracy. As much as he hated the World Government's dog-like approach to them, this wasn't the way to revolt. "Captain..." "Adam, we're going to stop it." Azrael readjusted himself. His wings turning so that they glided down towards the town. "I feel a powerful presence at the town square...Unusually powerful." Adam pointed to the center of the town. Azrael was aware of the different shades of Haki. He'd began training in using Kenbunshoku recently. But, Adam possessed something different. A unique presence that existed within all living creatures...and hers exhibited a radiance which surpassed all others. She could feel things others did not. Her prayers influencing a unique trance upon even Azrael. So for her to call this powerful meant... But this is what being a marine meant. So Azrael guided the two of them towards a nearby roof. Landing with a small thud. Adam umped off as Azrael's wings retracted into his back. He squinted. Damning his terrible eyesight. "A woman is fighting the captain." Azrael mumbled. He made sure that King was strapped securely to his hip while the multiple throwing knives on his person remained reachable. "Is she apart of ***?" Adam asked. "I've never felt anything like her on his ship." "Nah. This one is kinda cute. I'd definitely remember her. Probably some civilian with guts." Azrael smirked. His happiness interrupted by a powerful strike tot he back of his head. "Focus!" Adam commanded. "Yes boss!" "So what's the plan? Do you think we'll need to save her?" "Well she feels strong." Azrael rubbed his chin hair. "I'm going to go down there and help out. You focus on freeing the captive. Once we handle the captain, then everything else will fall into place. Jump in only when her back is turned." Azrael stood up, stretching his arms back a bit and cracking his neck. He felt the blade protruding from the bottom part of his left leg shift in its sheathe. With a breath, Azrael launched himself into the air and landed behind Rachel. Azrael wasn't one who dressed like the traditional marine captain. Wearing a white dress shirt under a nice black vest. The shirt tucked into expensive black pants held up with a belt. While one foot wore a nice shoe, the other revealed a black sheathe that disappeared into the pants leg He lit a cigar and placed it into his mouth. Azrael's messy hair pulled back from his face into a ponytail. "A pirate invasion and we're getting upstaged by a civilian." Azrael teased. "I'm sorry that we let you guys down. But don't worry, the marines are here." He said to Rachel. He turned his gaze to Vicky and pulled his cigar. "You're under arrest for countless murders, inciting violence, thievery, disturbing the peace and piracy in general." Azrael approached the two. Each word accompanied by a step. "Stand down, please. No need to do this the hard way." Meanwhile, Adam took this chance to leap from the roof and into the alleyway. Slowly making her way to the group of hostages. --- Still, Rachel held her noble sword up to Vicky's neck. She held no intentions of backing down as if she did, she knew her opponent would strike her down. Instead, she held her position as this virtually gave her control over how the rest of this exchange could turn out. Though she wanted to save these people, she had to remember not to act rationally and employ thought behind each action she planned to make. "I'll say it again, free these people from your clenches!" The young lady demanded, pressing the sharp end of her thin sword more and more into Vicky's skin. Though, before much could be said, the people dressed in white and blue appeared to the rescue. The kidnapped townfolk griefed in relief. Finally, the people that had contacted to help them had finally reached the island. That was it. They were saved by the greatest army the World Government had to offer; the famed Marines. "Yes!" Shouted the man who managed to cover his mouth from before. "Please, Mr. Marine, you've got to save us! She's slaughtered so many of our people including my wife and daughter!" Tears began to flow from his eyes like urine down a toilet drain. "YOU GUYS CAN'T LET HER GET AWAY WITH THIS. PLEASE HELP US!" While these words may have been for the Marines, for some reason, Rachel felt them more. For most, they were just tears but for her. they were fuel that grew her sympathy towards not only the man but the rest of the townfolk as well. Imagine it, a group of soldiers that are allied with an island, yet can't station a handful of members there just to always have someone on standby for the islander's protection. Azrael asked Rachel to step down, but she simply ignored his request. She bore no allegiance to neither of the fronts not the Marines, Pirates, nor the townsfolk for that matter. She'd simply been acting of her own accord and she refused to give up this chance at holding Vicky up into a corner. It wasn't a matter of her pride, no, she didn't care about anything like that. Pride was a tool used to tear people down or give them a boost, but for her it was neither. Pride was something that served oneself and that wasn't even how Rachel was crafted. She never thought about only herself. Ever since a young girl, she put the well being of others above herself since it meant the most. Selfless Service, one of the few rules she lived by. "Oi, oi, oi, girly!" Shouted Vicky, "You'd better stand down, the Marine man said so! You know, they'll even jail those who defy them even in the slightest manner. I wouldn't risk if I were you, Rachel." She went on so casually as if the two were well acquainted. "Why would I arrest her?" Azrael continued. Answering the old man's pleas with a slight nod. He needed to be careful. People often thought that the only way to answer death was with more death. This pirate needed to undergo the process. Arrest. Interrogation. Torture for information. She might hold the key for further invasions by fellow crews. Especially with the power of Adam, they needed to make sure she was working alone. AS hard as it was...She needed to be taken in alive. Azrael hated scenes like this. Having witnessed his mother slain by pirates...he wanted nothing more than to execute bastards like this. But what separated humans from animals was the ability to act beyond feeling. "That woman is a hero who'll be rewarded accordingly. My only concern is bringing you in so that you can answer for your crimes." Azrael continued. He pulled his cigar and looked to Rachel. His eyes showing his goodwill. But he saw inside Rachel the pain and suffering. The desire to do what everyone else wanted to. To take justice into their own hands. "Don't become like her." It was tempting. Every second that Rachel was given to hold the noble sword up to Vicky's neck, she wanted to just thrust it into her neck and watch her bleed out. Removing her blade and placing it back into the white sheath that rested on her lower back horizontally and her crescent pendulum to her right hip. "Collect yourself, Rachel." The young lady said to herself, fixing her posture whilst leaping back to create a gap between herself and Vicky. Answer for your crimes... Those four words repeated themselves in Rachel's mental, flashes of past traumatic events played in her mind until she jerked her head and re-opened her eyes. "I would never," Said Rachel, answering Azrael while turning to the many tied civilians, going down the line and undoing their restraints. "Creating more conflict would go everything I stand for," She said, turning to the location the snakeneck member ran off to, pulling her from her hiding place and lifting her to her feet with a gentle hand, "I don't live by honor, but I do try to live by what's wrong. This island is in contract with the Marines. Yet, it lacks immediate Marine protection. I'll never understand it; the World Government are quick to station its forces on a wealthy island that has the funds to provide for its own Army, but will completely neglect the smaller ones that are incapable of fending for themselves." The snakeneck member looked at Rachel. Her hand was locked with the young girl's and a dazzling sensation filled her eyes as the young girl spoke. "Who is she?" The woman asked, walking back to the rest of the group with Rachel as her guide. "Jajaja, cuff me." Said Vicky, flopping to the ground in a seated position. "She's got some spunk." With speed belonging to that of a high ranking marine, Azrael was behind Vicky with handcuffs. He quickly wrapped her wrist to each other and latched the cuffs tot hem. Kicking Vicky into the ground so that she would be in an extremely awkward position. He felt the confusion in Rachel's voice. And...He didn't have the answers himself. "I can't disagree with you...and I wish I had all the answers..." Azrael started. He kept his foot on Vicky's back. Pressing down hard enough to make her bones bend slightly. Catherine joined Rachel in helping her free the tied townspeople. "But believe me when I say you're right. It's wrong that we protect the cowards On High." Azrael pulled his cigar. "However, people like her," He bent over and tossed Vicky on his shoulder. Carrying the pirate with him as he approached the mysterious woman. "Make it hard for us to do the right thing. Trust me, there's a lot of good people in the government trying to right the wrongs of our predecessors." Azrael smiled. "And there's people like you who are fighting this battle in our absence. Why don't you come back to my ship? Never mind a reward...You can always join the marines." "Hmph! Captain you can't go around inviting people like that. Plus, she feels like bad news." Catherine said. Uncaring that everyone and their mother could hear her. She wasn't afraid of whatever this woman was. Resolve of Revolt "In the same vein that I would never be like her," Rachel started, helping the woman to the ground as all the townsfolk cheered at Azrael's capture. "I will also never be like you." She declared, allowing the people to enjoy their moment of salvation and celebration on this occasion. She wasn't the type to take a spotlight from anyone, but she still knew this was wrong. Folding her arms across her breast, Rachel looked to Azrael, but she picked up the presence of another who'd seemingly accompanied the Marine. "I don't want any reward from the World Government nor the Marines. Not even a pat on the back," Pausing, she looked to the celebrating people. Though they were drenched in blood from their scars, they seemed to have found just a glimmer of peace that they hoped to relish so it'd be inhumane to stop them from their celebration. The only ones that would be able to hear her, were the woman of the snakeneck tribe, the Marine, and Vicky since they were the closets. "I am just a voice for the people, an advocate of freedom in virtually every way possible." Pointing to the snakenecked woman, Rachel holding her other hand out. "I seek racial liberation to its maximum. So no, I'm not a pirate and with that being said there is no way I could work for a World Government that supports racism even in the slightest." Twisting her bow tie, Rachel paused. "Excuse me if that was rude to deny your request. But our goals do not run parallel to one another. In the way that I've just explained, I guess I would be what Vicky is to you. In a completely different manner, I suppose." "You little bitch!" Catherine roared after untying the last victim. Her soul burning in anger at the girl's rudeness. She jumped into the girls face and held a finger to her. Catherine's famous finger. "You can only pray for an opportunity like this?! How the fuck-why the fuck-HOW DARE YOU!" "Lieutenant-" Azrael tried to interject. But Catherine's booms only overwhelmed his input. "No. No. You went ahead and offered her....acknowledger her and she has the right to turn you down! Even turn down a reward for being good. God I should arrest her just on that! Who the hell do you think you are?!" Catherine asked. Her hands now on her hips. "Get off your high-horse you sinful broad!" "Catherine!" Azrael barked. Calming the lieutenant down with his stern voice. Azrael pulled from his cigar and glared at the woman. "She is the hero of the day. So she deserves respect." Azrael approached the woman and smiled. Grabbing onto Vicky's behind to make sure she was secured. "It's...horrible what the World Government supports and allows to flourish." Azrael's eyes lowered. "But it needs people to change it. Not from without...but from within. The World Government has existed for centuries. There are few able to stand a chance in an all out battle and these people," He gestured to the surrounding citizens. "Will be who suffers the most. Only by someone reaching the top and enacting policies can this ancient monster be culled." Azrael's eyes lowered as he pulled on his cigar. "You're a hero. I can see it in you. Just make sure to find you understand what the cost of your justice entails." Rachel blew air from her mouth from Catherine's outburst. She was only sixteen years old, yet she had better control over herself than this woman who was clearly older than she was. "Bitch, sinful broad, pile them up as much as you would like, but all it does it continue to prove my point. The World Government has instilled an ego into its army and she is a perfect example of that. That is not me saying she is an overall bad person, but it proves my point beyond further explanation." Claimed the young lady, shifting her attention back to Azrael. "I do think you have misunderstood my intentions," She started, trying to speak louder over the celebrating townsfolk, struggling to put the fires out, but she and the Marine in front of her managed to capture the complete attention of Vicky and the snakeneck woman. "I don't want to be a hero, in fact, I feel it'd be an insult to you all who are sometimes considered heroes if we were to call me one. So, no, I can't accept any monetary reward from you." The town was dark thanks to the rage of the Vicky Pirates and to be honest, it set quite the mood for Azrael and Rachel's conversation. The flames burned everything in the background, yet it was the perfect chance for a picture. "I told you, I want to fight for racial liberation, with that statement alone that already makes me an enemy of the World Government. But," She paused, lifting her hands up to her hip and spreading her fingers out as though she were grabbing that air. As she did, a pink aura-like goo formed in the middle of her hands and floated into the sky. Mentally, the pink aura whirled into a vortex, flying across the air and mixing into the flames that the townsfolk struggled to put out. "Vokne," she said, completely separate from the conversation she had going with Azrael. The flames of the fire raged a bit more, before calming down and face appeared among the flames. Mouth widened to the point the teeth showed, the eyes were still closed. "Sol!" She exclaimed, "Consume the flames and make them no more!" She ordered and while it seemed she had been talking to herself, she'd actually been commanding the face within the flames that seemed to be sentient in some way. Smile growing even wider, the being called Sol giggled. "Okay, Rachel-chan!" It responded in a feminine voice, as the flames of the area all began to lift from the ground and gravitate towards this face. As they did, they compressed down into a spherical shape and the more they dissolved the more Sol's appearance began to reveal. It wasn't long before all the flames had disappeared and there Sol stood in its spherical form with a ring of flames around its body. With rotation, the flames dispersed from around its body and all that remained was its yellowish-orange core that was reminiscent of the sun. As the flames completely disappeared, the people of the town looked to the giant creature in awe. They were all silent for a moment because none of them truly understood what had just happened. Hell, to be honest, not even Rachel really knew what was going on. Vicky's bottom lip dropped as she too was in awe of the power Rachel displayed. Everyone else may not have known what it was, but Vicky sure did. "I knew she had some spunk," Said Vicky, scoffing as she looked to Rachel and her creation. A lot of people have sought that power and there's someone in the New World who's very interested in it right now. The Soru Soru no Mi, a devil fruit that allows its user to freely interact with and manipulate souls." Lowering her hands back to her side, with Sol towering over her like a god looking down on a peasant, Rachel continued on with her statement from where she left off. "If my "justice" isn't worth risking my life for, then is it really justice?" She asked, not just Azrael but both of the Marines. Azrael listened intently. And watched as she worked her magic. He could tell something made Catherine feel off...Not because of their sibling like bond. But the fact she didn't have anything to say to Rachel about that comment. Whatever power Rachel possessed, it bothered Catherine. Still, Azrael felt the warmness in Rachel's heart. Despite the hateful lecture... Azrael put Vicky down. Slamming her body on the ground without a care for her safety. He met Rachel's gaze. "Justice is so much more than saving an island from pirates. What happens now? Will you stay here and guard this island from all future invasions?" Azrael looked to the men and women who went to tend to their injured. Who prayed to the dead. Gathering the remains of burned corpses and covering the dying. A twisting pain in his gut...but he'd gotten used to it. He needed to in order to stop it from happening again. "You will leave and another lowlife like this one will appear. And the marines won't send anyone to this island to protect it." Azrael breathed in the smoke from his cigar and released it in a cloud of gray. "Unless that little guy will become this island's guardian...and even then, how long till someone throws a giant bucket of water on it?" "What he's trying to say is that Justice is not just about you." Catherine intercepted. Her bratty, bitchy tone now replaced with the formal command of a mother. Her powerful spirit resonated with Rachel...Creating an almost demanding presence upon Sol. So much so, Sol would see the winged figure of a giant woman wearing a white cloak. Almost godly among the group. "The cost of your ideals is never just your life. Whether you die for them or not. Its all the lives you could have saved. All the lives you left behind. That's the cost of your Justice." "I despise racial segregation." Azrael stated calmly. "But my justice entails that I do my best to ensure that other people do not pay for a half-assed attempt at a war with the dragons. It has cost me countless lives...but I hold true that it'll save so much more." "That's pretty sad," Rachel said, sighing as she heard the Marine utter those words. "It is sad, that you are aware nothing will change once both parties leave this island, yet not even the slightest of recommendations of what could be taken against it. I don't want to hold-hands to any public that wants to tie themselves to the world government. But, that does not mean I will lift a finger at them." She noticed the woman's pent up aggression had calmed down, but even when it was at its high, Rachel didn't care. She was always composed and did what she could to keep her emotions from off of her sleeve. "The lives that one could have saved only lays on the minds of those that deem themselves heroes—I am not a hero, so that thought will never be on my mind nor will it be the cost of my Justice. I don't want to claim islands and liberate them from the World Government, I've already told you my goal follows the lines of racial liberation." Sol, the Homie in the air, turned left and right while emitting a bright light over the once darkened island. "Oi, oi, Raaaaachel-chaaaan." Said Sol, smiling in its soft feminine voice. "I'm really sleepy, Rachel-chan. Can we take a nap? Pleeeeeeease, Raaachel-chaaaan?!" Nodding her head, Rachel turned her back to the Marines. It wasn't in a disrespectful manner either, she had simply just wanted to end their conversation before things could go any further. She felt that would have been best for both parties. "Do know that I understand your side of the spectrum fully. But at the end of the day, we are driven by personal goals. I'll be sailing the seas to figure out what's next for me, I'm sure we will meet again soon. Hopefully, it can be this civil."